CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Last Goodbyes, Last Decisions
KIMBER WAS DEAD, SHOT IN THE HEAD BY OUR OWN TABITHA SHELBY.
Luckily she did it before anyone else was able to die, with Thomas only getting shot in the shoulder and Danny Whizz-Bang the only one dead. Tabitha knew Danny served alongside Thomas in tunnels during the war, so she felt sad for the death of her husband's old friend. Her and Danny barely spoke, but when they did, he was very kind to her.
Even though it was Grace who betrayed them and Tabitha pulled the trigger, the gypsy didn't help but felt like it was all her fault. She blamed herself for Thomas getting shot, blamed herself for Danny's death too, and wasn't able to watch as Jeremiah pulled the bullet out. After that, Tabitha, Thomas, and Arthur walked into the snug, where Danny Whizz-Bang's lifeless body laid on the table. The blood from the bullet wound stained the white shirt he was wearing. All Tabitha felt looking at Danny was guilt.
"Now we can bury him properly," John said, keeping his head low. "In the grave we dug for him."
"Yeah. It's high in a hill. He'd like that," Thomas said.
Thomas pulled out a bottle of rum, pouring the cork out before raising the bottle.
"To Danny Whizz-Bang," he said, making a toast. "May we all die twice." He took a sip from the bottle, then handing it to Tabitha.
She raised the bottle, "to Danny Whizz-Bang."
Tabitha took a sip and passed it down. Everyone took a swig from the bottle of rum, saying to Danny Whizz-Bang. They took a moment of silence after Freddie finished off the rum, and then Thomas told the men to go an celebrate their victory.
"I'll be back in a bit," Tabitha said to Thomas before waking out of the Garrison.
Thomas and Polly looked at each other, not understanding what that was about. Tabitha knew where she was going to go. The gypsy had been to her flat a couple times from how much they hung out after going clothes shopping. She stood in front of the flat door, opening it to the blonde barmaid packing a suitcase.
Grace turned around, looking surprised that Tabitha was at her door. She knew that the gypsy knew what she did, and hoped her visit wasn't a bad one.
"Are you alright?" Grace asked worried.
"I'm fine," Tabitha answered, her eyes starting to water.
"What can I say?"
"I don't know, Grace."
"I could tell you who I really am," Grace said.
"I think I know who you are."
The blonde shook her head. "The circumstance is not important."
Tabitha scoffed, "circumstance?"
"Is all it is. Just a uniform." Grace started slowly walking towards the gypsy.
"Yeah. So one day, I will throw this gun in the canal."
"Why not now?" Grace asked in a whispered, brushing her thumb on Tabitha's cheek. "Leave with me. You can't possibly be happy here, trapped under Tommy's thumb. You can't be happy with him. Here it comes, Tabitha, I love you."
The blonde tenderly kissed Tabitha's lips, but the brunette only pulled away.
"I am happy here, Grace," Tabitha answered. "You can say you love me as much as you want...but I love Tommy. You're my best friend, but I can't go with you. I'm sorry."
Tears filled Grace's eyes from the sadness and rejection from the woman she loved. She let go of Tabitha and stepped back once before placing an envelope in her hand.
"I'll be in London one week. At this address," Grace said. "Finish your business here and join me if you change your mind. I have an idea."
Tabitha only nodded, taking the letter. If she wanted to, the gypsy wasn't going to leave. The Peaky Blinders were her family, Thomas was her family, and she wasn't able to give them up.
"One last kiss before I go?" Grace asked in a whisper. "For luck?"
Tabitha closed her eyes and answered, "I'm afraid I can't grant that wish for you." She turned around and reached for doorknob, and the last thing she said was, "I hope you get everything you wish for, Grace. Good luck to you."
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THOMAS WAS OUT TAKING CARE OF BURYING DANNY WHIZZ-BANG'S BODY, SO TABITHA BEAT HIM BACK TO THE GARRISON THAT NIGHT.
Grace's words played in her mind on repeat as she downed her forth glass of whiskey. Polly was behind the bar after sending Harry home, knowing something was troubling Tabitha.
"You went to see the barmaid, didn't you?" Polly asked, looking at her niece. Hell, she even considered Tabitha her own daughter.
"I did," Tabitha admitted in a whisper, pouring herself another glass. "I'm going to tell Tommy when he gets here, tell him everything I should've told him before."
Right on cue, Thomas entered the Garrison after taking care of Danny's body. The blood from the bullet wound stained the top part of his white shirt with gauze wrapped across his chest.
"Drink?" Polly offered Thomas.
"Not whiskey," Thomas said. "If you check...you will find a bottle of champagne."
He took a deep drag as Polly sat the bottle on the bar, making Tabitha's stomach sink.
"The one Grace bought."
"All of Kimber's men were busy here, so all the Lee boys took all their pitches at the Worcester races. It couldn't have gotten better if we'd planned it." Then he spoke up. "Shelby Brothers Limited are now the third, largest race track operation in the country."
"Cheers," Arthur and John said, drunkenly as they held up their pints.
"Only the Sabinis and the Solomons are bigger than us, boys. And all my family is here to celebrate." Thomas popped the cork of the champagne bottle, holding it in the air. "To Shelby Brothers Limited."
"Shelby!" Arthur cheered, slurring a little bit.
"Cheers," Tabitha said softly, raising her glass before downing the dark brown liquid in it the fifth time.
Thomas returned to the bar, refilling Tabitha's glass with the champagne and them filling Polly a glass. He moved the hair from Tabitha's face after she downed the champagne, showing that her eyes were red and puffy from tears.
"You okay?" Thomas asked worried.
"Tommy, we need to talk," Tabitha replied faintly.
She grabbed his hand and led him into the snug so they'd be alone. When she closed the door, Thomas began to get even more worried.
"I went to see Grace," Tabitha started, making Thomas' eyes narrow at the name. "As much as I don't want to admit it, it seems like your reasons for being jealous were right all along."
Thomas' eyes weren't narrow anymore, since his brows were furrowed. He wanted to know what happened at that visit.
"Grace told me she's in love with me," Tabitha continued, making jealousy boil in Thomas' veins. "She's in love with me and wants me to leave with her. She kissed me too. It wasn't the first time, she did it the night we killed Byrne."
Thomas deeply inhaled and then exhaled, trying to keep himself calm. Especially after learning And ignoring the fact that the blonde kissed her.
"And are you?" Thomas asked in a calm voice. "Are you leaving?"
Tabitha shook her head once and answered in a faint voice. "No. I'm not going."
"Why?"
"Because this my home, you're my home." Tabitha put her hand in Thomas'. "And the thing is, is that I love you, not Grace."
"That is is thing," Thomas replied, resting his forehead on hers. "You're too good for me, Tabitha. Too good for this world, you have the right to leave if you want to."
"I know, but I can never bring myself to leave you for a second. We belong together at the head of this family, you said so yourself. This is our business, our empire."
"It is. That's why I want to give you this."
Thomas pulled a small velvet black box from his coat, making Tabitha raise a brow. He opened the box and the sight of what was inside made her softly gasp. It was a gold wedding ring, but not just any ring.
"Tommy, it's so beautiful," Tabitha said.
"I noticed we didn't have wedding bands at our wedding, but this isn't any normal ring," Thomas stated. "This is my mother's ring. She gave it to me before she died, told me to give it to the woman I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. And that woman is you."
The words made Tabitha smile as Thomas took the ring out of the box. He said his mother's ring on her left ring finger, and it was was a perfect fit. Tabitha then wrapped her arms around Thomas' neck, passionately kissing each other until it got hot and heavy. Then Thomas asked one last question, making Tabitha laugh.
"Making love in the snug doesn't sound so bad now, does it?"